—Avier Wanjou-Brass—

Cousins!

After making headlines last year for firing shots at Minneapolis police officers during protests that followed George Floyd’s death, Jaleel Stallings has been acquitted of all charges against him!

According to AP News, Stallings, 29, argued self-defense during his July trial by testifying that he fired at the unmarked white van after being hit in the chest with a nonlethal rubber bullet fired by the police.

Thinking he was being attacked by civilians, struck by a bullet, and was potentially bleeding out, Stallings fired three shots at the van. Then he took cover before realizing it was the police and surrendered. No officers were hurt.

In court documents, when Stallings realized he fired at police officers, he quickly put his gun on the ground and lay face down. Laying motionless for 20 seconds, Stallings posed as no oblivious threat before officer Justin Stetson and Sgt. Andrew Bittell approached him and began punching and kicking him.

The judge in the case found that Stetson and Bittell both violated Stallings’ Fourth Amendment rights and their actions were unreasonable. There’s no say on whether the officers are being investigated or disciplined for their use of force.

Stallings’s arrest made headlines last year during a chaotic time in Minneapolis, which led to looting and the burning of the police station after George‘s death. He then was charged with two counts of attempted second-degree murder, multiple accounts of assault, and other charges.

The Minnesota Freedom Fund, a local non-profit group, paid 75,000 in cash, which caused more attention to his case.

Well, ain’t god good.